1. Field of the Invention
The field of art to which the invention pertains includes the field of electrical plug-type connectors, and particularly, the field of connectors having insertable and releasable contact members within the chambers of an insulating body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Plug-type connectors with releasable contact members are known in which the contact member is locked in fixed position within the insulating body, and the connector can thus be assembled more rapidly than connectors in which the contact member is joined with the insulating body by some other means, e.g., by screws. In addition, connectors of this type can be produced at relatively low cost. The contact members of such connectors may be in the form of jacks, plug sockets, pins, and any known form of male or female connector components.
In connectors of this type, the insulating body is frequently provided with a plurality of contact receiving chambers. An important problem presented to those skilled in the art concerns the removal of the contact member from the contact chamber once it has been inserted. In order to release the contact member, releasing tools inserted into the contact chamber are frequently employed. The tools lift a locking tab of the contact member from engagement with a corresponding locking shoulder on a wall of the contact chamber, so that the locking engagement is interrupted and the contact member can be removed. It is desirable, of course, that the release operation be rapidly and easily executed. Additionally, it is desirable that the releasing tool be as simple as possible.
One of the limitations of prior art connectors of this type has been that the contact member is releasable from the insulating body only with the aid of a releasing tool inserted from one side of the connector. Often, the releasing operation is effectuated from the termination side of the contact members which renders the operation difficult in view of the large number of wires leading to the termination points of the contact members. Additionally, there is often little free space behind a connector panel within which to manipulate a releasing tool, and thus it is required to often dismount a connector from the panel or remove the entire panel in order to have sufficient room to conduct the releasing operation.